The Things I Learned
by HellFire Kitten
Summary: A story about Tsunade and her feelings on the past, on her brother, on her love, on the betrayal of one of her teammates, and on the years that have gone by. At least Sakura is a beautiful thing to leave behind.


There is an inner beauty about a woman who believes in herself, who knows she is capable of anything that she puts her mind to. There is a beauty in the strength and determination of a woman who follows her own path, who isn't thrown off by obstacles along the way. There is a beauty about a woman whose confidence comes from experiences; who knows she can fall, pick herself up, and move on.

* * *

Tsunade was a temperamental child, before she was a strong willed girl. 

She grew to be a strong willed girl, before she was a powerful teenager.

She was a powerful teenager, before she became a legendary woman.

----

Tsunade knows that having and holding power can't save you from pain. She thought the worse day of her life was when her brother died. She promised herself to be better than before so she wouldn't endure the pain of seeing a loved one coated in red.

Her brother's funeral was the day Tsunade felt her dreams die. When asked about it she says that the day was raining, the sky was crying. The sun was a coward that hid behind the clouds and the ground was blacker than ink. In all reality the day was just like any other.

Tsunade learned, life keeps going even if you refuse too.

----

With the help of Dan she healed, she even came to love him. Tsunade thought she learned her life's lesson, you can't look back while walking forward and expect to not hit anything. When she came to the failed mission...to Dan's bloody body...as she poured all the chakra she could give into him she cried out that life can be unpredictable and cruel. She promised herself to never again be weak, even if she had too risk more than her life, she would never be weak again.

Her lover's funeral was the day Tsunade felt her hopes die. When asked about it she says she was so drunk the sky was purple, the ground was blue and the sun looked like a dumpling. In all reality she was completely sober.

Tsunade learned, emotional wounds hardly ever stay closed.

----

The day Orochimaru left wasn't very surprising but it still hurt. The weeks afterwards lead to all kinds of failed missions to retrieve him. Tsunade thought to herself that Orochimaru was a fool for leaving. As she sat on the Hokage monument and stared into the sun she promised the next time she seen him, she'd hurt him.

After three weeks were up, all efforts were called off. Tsunade and Jiraiya wanted to go after him themselves but the Third Hokage threatened them with the status of missing nin as well. When asked about it Tsunade says that she could careless for a traitor, a man who didn't respect his village didn't deserve to be respected. In all reality she was ready for the status.

Tsunade learned, betrayal hurts more than any wound given.

----

The day Tsunade herself put the village to her back was a bittersweet, heart wrenching, gut dropping day. She felt the cold tremors of fear burst and smash it's way around inside of her. Turning her head to memorize her homeland one more time, the fear made her stop, turn away and walk faster out of the gates.

After several days away Tsunade found that the nightmares were coming more frequently. She taught Shizune everything she herself knew, she managed real well after she found a day of nothing but training, had her also dreaming nothing when she sleeps.

Tsunade learned, memories can haunt you more than anything.

----

Years have passed since she had met Naruto, since she had trained Sakura, since she thought back on the things she did. She thinks more about her past now that she herself is Hokage, now that it was she who sat behind the wood desk and listened to the ninjas who came through those doors.

She fights back Akatsuki and she empowers those ninjas who die in the name of their Hokage, in the name of their village. She stays away from funerals because with so many witnesses she can't tell them lies. She was aging faster now she had so many things to take care of, she believes her death is near.

Sakura walks into the doors, her petal pink hair bright and cheery. Her smile wide and innocent. Her chakra ready to pound anyone, her temper ready to explode. Tsunade looks back out the windows before adjusting a stack of papers on the corner of her desk. She hands one to Sakura who takes it, bows and then leaves.

Tsunade may not leave behind siblings. She may not leave behind lovers. She may not leave behind her betrayals, her memories, the moments that haunt her. The fear of blood, the things she loses every year she ages, but...she thinks back to her apprentice. Looking back out the window she can only smile.

Tsunade learned, Sakura is a beautiful thing to leave behind.

* * *

Just a story I created not too long ago. I will start work on a funnier story later on..or maybe I'll try..We'll see. 


End file.
